Essential Research: 53-47 to Labor

Essential Research supports Newspoll’s finding that concern is growing about immigration, but not its finding that the Coalition’s electoral position has improved.

As reported by The Guardian, the latest fortnightly Essential Research poll brings no change on two-party preferred, with Labor maintaining its 53-47 lead. As always, primary votes will be with us later today. The poll also contains a suite of findings on immigration, which concur with Newspoll in finding the existing level is perceived as too high. Sixty-four per cent rated there had been too much immigration over the past decade, compared with 50% when the question was last asked in October 2016, and 54% considered the rate of population growth too fast, up from 45% in 2013. Forty-seven per cent wanted fewer short-term working visas, which 63% believed undermined the capacity of Australians to find work, and 62% agreed with the proposition that immigration should be wound back until the necessary infrastructure is in place. Nonetheless, 55% supported the proposition that “multiculturalism and cultural diversity has enriched the social and economic lives of all Australians”, and 61% felt immigration had made a positive contribution overall.

UPDATE: Full report here. Coalition down one to 37%, Labor down one to 36%, Greens up one to 11%, One Nation up one to 8%.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

1,165 comments on “Essential Research: 53-47 to Labor”

Comments Page 14 of 24
1 … 13 14 15 … 24

  2. In all seriousness – and leaving personal attacks aside – I do view it as a good sign that Labor’s looking into decriminalising cannabis for medical use, at least. It’s not what I’d prefer (legalise, regulate, tax), but it’s a start.

  3. Rex Douglas @ #643 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 1:47 pm

    zoomster @ #619 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 4:45 pm

    Rex

    Don’t see why I would. I often disagree with Labor MPs. I’ve stated to you that I have issues with Albanese and with Daniel Andrews, for example, and I’ve explained why.

    Where do you draw the line re decency and integrity ?

    We know you want your picture of perfection and will run away from anything that doesn’t meet it but the ration approach is voice dissent and try and influence change.

    How many babies have you lost changing the bath water? 🙂

  5. This looks like a beat up by ‘The Australian’ to me. It’s worth noting that Marles has not been asked this question at the National Press Club, by Karvelas or by SKY.

    The quote (taken out of context) sounds perfectly reasonable. Navy personnel are members of the ADF; they are, as members of the ADF, recognised as such. There’s no need for anything more, and Marles doesn’t seem to suggest that there should be.

    I don’t see any suggestion by Marles that ‘The Border Force’ are part of the Navy.

  6. Nobody here appears to know what Marles has said.

    Perhaps he has offered support but in what context and to what degree is still unknown.

    If you intend to attack any support offered for this suggestion by Nelson then concentrate on getting the facts right and making sure those military personnel involved in the operations are not dragged into the debate and splattered with disdain and vitriol simply because they are undertaking the policies of the current government.

    Cheers.

  7. Matt @ #652 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 1:58 pm

    In all seriousness – and leaving personal attacks aside – I do view it as a good sign that Labor’s looking into decriminalising cannabis for medical use, at least. It’s not what I’d prefer (legalise, regulate, tax), but it’s a start.

    I don’t have much of a problem legalising it full stop but if they are going to argue for it on medical grounds then those medical grounds need to exist.

    What’s next homeopathy, herbal medicines and the like.

  8. doyley

    This appears to be the comment:

    ‘“The Royal Australian Navy has been asked to serve in this way by governments of both persuasions,” Mr Marles said. “The AWM should commemorate the contributions of all those who serve in our defence forces.”’

    No mention of the Border Force, and a statement of the obvious: the AWM does what the AWM does.

  9. doyley @ #634 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 5:03 pm

    Nobody here appears to know what Marles has said.

    Perhaps he has offered support but in what context and to what degree is still unknown.

    If you intend to attack any support offered for this suggestion by Nelson then concentrate on getting the facts right and making sure those military personnel involved in the operations are not dragged into the debate and splattered with disdain and vitriol simply because they are undertaking the policies of the current government.

    Cheers.

    No-one is attacking the navy personnel.

  10. lizzie @ #626 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 4:26 pm

    Found it! It’s that (stupid) Richard Marles, whom I have never admired.

    Greg Brown‏Verified account @gregbrown_TheOz

    Labor’s defence spokesman Richard Marles has backed calls for navy personnel who have helped “stop the boats” under the asylum seeker crackdown to be honoured in a potential expansion of the Australian War Memorial #auspol

    Got a link Lizzie?
    I agree about Marles.

  11. don @ #633 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 4:33 pm

    Bemused:

    Such a drug, already exists to treat all addictions and it is not cannabis which is a major drug of addiction. It is known as Ibogaine.

    _______________________

    It is not without major side effects, especially at high dosages, taken for the hallucinogenic effects:

    —
    Ibogaine, the main alkaloid in the root bark is receiving considerable attention in medical and biological research. One of the main reasons is the possible practical application of ibogaine in the treatment of drug addictions (heroin, cocaine and alcohol). This seems to be partly due to the ability of ibogaine to make changes in the chemistry of the brain synapses. These changes can directly eliminate or reduce dependency to addictive substances. However, psychotherapy may also be necessary in connection to the ibogaine sessions to effectively break drug dependency.

    Yes, I was aware of most of that.
    But it works and the risks can be mitigated such as by taking it under medical supervision as can happen in some countries.
    I have seen it work on someone.

  14. zoomster:

    It’s true there’s no context to his comments, therefore it looks to me he’s gone rogue or has been quoted out of context for usual Murdoch nefarious purposes.

    The Border Force stuff is obviously a fake news invention of twitter – not even Nelson mentioned memorialising the Border Force.

  15. Matt @ #43061 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 4:58 pm

    In all seriousness – and leaving personal attacks aside – I do view it as a good sign that Labor’s looking into decriminalising cannabis for medical use, at least. It’s not what I’d prefer (legalise, regulate, tax), but it’s a start.

    Agreed – but it is not medical use, it is personal use with a fighemp leaf.

  18. zoomster,

    Thanks for that post re the comment by Marles.

    Seems pretty innocuous to me and they are sentiments I agree with.

    If that is the comment Greg Brown is tweeting about then his story is simply signed to cause division and create tension. He is a reporter for the Oz it should be remembered.

    Cheers.

  22. Confessions @ #648 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 4:54 pm

    Sounds like Marles went rogue. Not even the govt is touching Nelson’s idea.

    “The Royal Australian Navy has been asked to serve in this way by governments of both persuasions,” Mr Marles said. “The AWM should commemorate the contributions of all those who serve in our defence forces.”

    Mr Marles’s support of Dr Nelson’s idea, revealed in The Australian on Monday, came as the Turnbull government went silent on the issue.

    A spokesman for Defence Minister Marise Payne said: “Potential future exhibitions are a matter for the AWM council.”

    https://www.outline.com/evwguU

    That is plain ridiculous on the part of Marles.
    Many people spend some time in the services without being in harms way any ore than in most other occupations and less than some. I am one such person.
    Only people who have actually fought in a war and been exposed to enemy action deserve to be commemorated at the War Memorial and even then, as a memorial, it is mainly for those who served and paid the supreme sacrifice or were wounded.

  24. zoomster:

    As I understand it the AWM already recognises the service of currently serving ADF personnel. Nelson’s comments about having a special memorial for those serving specifically to push back AS boats is egregious because it would serve a partisan political purpose rather than one in the national interest.

    The smarter response from Marles would’ve have been along the lines of Marise Payne’s: AWM content is a matter for the AWM board. And I’d love to see that conversation taking place with Kerry Stokes at the table. He takes his military history, memorabilia and commemoration seriously from what I’ve heard.

  25. don @ #650 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 4:56 pm

    I heard Anthony Albanese on the radio yesterday.

    I was not impressed.

    He is no orator, and does the stopping and starting in the middle of sentences that was commented on here recently.

    In addition, he did not have anything interesting to say.

    A lot of our politicians are surprisingly poor orators.
    They really should undertake some training.

  27. fess

    To me, that’s exactly what Marles was saying…that the AWM currently recognises naval service, and how they do so in the future is up to them.

  28. bemused

    And where is he saying that Navy members who were part of turning back the boats should receive any special recognition? He is leaving it to the AWM to decide who should be honoured for what.

  31. zoomster:

    Have any serving Navy personnel lost their lives to pushing back boats? I honestly can’t recall, but if not then how is a memorial to them part of the AWM remit?

    Marles should’ve just deflected the question and said simply content is a matter for the AWM board.

  32. Well that got us excited over a big fat zero!!

    It’s all your fault lizzie for making us believe a story in the Australian, not!!

    How gullible were we? 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

  34. bemused

    Yes. No one is saying otherwise, not even Marles.

    He has said (obviously it needs be broken down):

    1. Navy personnel were involved in service to the country.

    2. It is up to the AWM to decide who gets recognised for what.

    Both are statements of fact.

    He is not saying 1 implies that recognition must or should follow.

    It is up to the AWM.

  36. Thank you, don for putting up the information about Ibogaine. I do wish bemused would stop advocating things he knows substantively little about.

  37. …of course, I leave open the possibility that Marles said something else, but if he’s been quoted properly, I can’t see what the issue is.

  38. zoomster @ #684 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 5:30 pm

    bemused

    Yes. No one is saying otherwise, not even Marles.

    He has said (obviously it needs be broken down):

    1. Navy personnel were involved in service to the country.

    2. It is up to the AWM to decide who gets recognised for what.

    Both are statements of fact.

    He is not saying 1 implies that recognition must or should follow.

    It is up to the AWM.

    That idiot Nelson would expand it way too wide.
    I repeat, it is a “War Memorial”, it is not there to pay tribute to anyone who has ever served in any capacity in any of the armed services. That is just an offensive abuse to the memory of those who did serve in wars.

  39. Barney in Go Dau @ #682 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 5:29 pm

    Well that got us excited over a big fat zero!!

    It’s all your fault lizzie for making us believe a story in the Australian, not!!

    How gullible were we? 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

    Well, not actually. Lizzie follows @LittleBertie on Twitter, who seems to get all a flutter about Fake News from The Australian’s journos who are on Twitter. 🙂

  40. “The AWM should commemorate the contributions of all those who serve in our defence forces.”

    A clear direction aimed at the AWM by Marles..

  42. C@tmomma @ #686 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 5:33 pm

    Thank you, don for putting up the information about Ibogaine. I do wish bemused would stop advocating things he knows substantively little about.

    I can only report what I have seen.
    I have already posted some of those links or similar and I have never said it is without risk. Not many potent drugs are without some risk, maybe none.
    It is up to people to do their own research and make their own decisions, but in some countries that drug is completely legal, and used in specialised clinics.

    What do you recommend to treat cases of addiction? Have you heard of anything else that is known to work?

  45. Perusing the AWM site has answered my question of the other day re Charles Bean’s descendants:

    He died on 30 August 1968 after a long illness and was survived by his wife and their adopted daughter Joyce.

    Googling Joyce Bean reveals she passed away in 2014 but did have children, both natural and adopted.

  46. On the question of medical marijuana, there does seem to be medical support for its use against epileptic fits. Or am I wrong about that, too…

  47. grimace @ #669 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 3:13 pm

    Confessions @ #551 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 12:17 pm

    Dan G:

    According to the Washington Post they are airing 2 eps tonight (tomorrow) and then one weekly.

    That’s great news we’re getting it without having to wait. I’m totally addicted!

    Use a VPN client to watch it on Hulu.

    Use any device that connects to the internet to watch it on SBS On Demand, or a good old fashioned TV to watch it on SBS.

    Why would you need a VPN when you can watch it without one? You also don’t need to pay for a VPN or Hulu subscription.

  48. Rex Douglas @ #673 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 3:17 pm

    grimace @ #647 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 5:13 pm

    Confessions @ #551 Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – 12:17 pm

    Dan G:

    According to the Washington Post they are airing 2 eps tonight (tomorrow) and then one weekly.

    That’s great news we’re getting it without having to wait. I’m totally addicted!

    Use a VPN client to watch it on Hulu.

    Is that legal ?

    Yes, but it is probably against Hulu’s Terms Of Service.

    Once again, why would you got to he expense (albeit small) of a VPN and Hulu subscription when you can watch it legally on SBS, or SBS On Demand for free?

Comments Page 14 of 24
1 … 13 14 15 … 24

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *